Labor Judge Hands Port-workingPortland Union a Major Loss

A San Francisco judge has ruled that longshore workers employed at Portland's Terminal 6 systemically thwarted the work flow as it "engaged in unfair labor practices."

The Administrative Law Judge for the National Labor Relations Board said the workers drove trucks slowly, refused to hoist cranes in bypass modes and wouldn't move more than one 20-foot container at a time on older trailers.

The moves were part of a ploy to force ICTSI and carriers working out of Terminal 6 to stop doing business with the Port of Portland.

The two sides have long grappled over contracts and working conditions.

The International Longshore Workers Union blasted the decision.

"The ruling, either by ignorance or by total indifference to safety on the docks, puts longshore workers in the position of having to either perform work in a manner that puts lives at risk or be accused of hard timing ICTSI; it's an absurd outcome," said ILWU Local 8 Secretary-Treasurer Troy Mosteller, in a release.

Whereas the decision isn't binding, the ILWU warned that "it will be years" before the matter is resolved.